§ Sir Smedley Crookeasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the plight of the removal trade in the Birmingham Regional Area, owing to the unfair regulations which, since June last, limit their trade operations to a restricted radius while allowing firms in other regions to operate as in pre-war time; and will he review the regulations in order that if restriction is necessary to save rubber and petrol it should be applied generally all over the country and not to one particular region?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerMy hon. Friend is mistaken in thinking that the removal of furniture has been more severely restricted in the Birmingham area than in other parts of the country. Issues of fuel for the movement of furniture are made in Birmingham, as elsewhere, only when alternative means of transport are not available. It has recently been decided that the movement of furniture for distances of more than 60 miles shall not take place by road save in exceptional circumstances. This rule will be everywhere applied.